Collapsible tube and method of making the same



Nov. s, 1938. H. s GISH 2,136,007

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed June 2, 1936 Kim JY ZYZ Patented Nov. 8, 1938 2,136,007

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBE AND METHOD OF MAK- ING THE SAlVflt Harold S. Gish, Lincoln, Nebr.

Application June 2, 1936, Serial No. 83,090

3 Claims. (Cl. 113120) The invention relates generally to collapsible tions and methods falling within the spirit and tubes and more particularly to tubes of this scope of the invention as expressed in the apcharacter adapted to contain a relatively small pended claims.

quantity of cold creamof thelike for individual In the preferred form chosen for disclosure 5 115B- V herein, the invention is embodied in a relatively 5 A more important object, of the present insmall tube adapted for containing a sufficient vention is to provide a tube of this character and quantity of cold cream or the like for a single a method of making the same whereby the tube appli at n r u a suitable size being appr is adapted for economical and rapid manufacture mately three-eighths /8) inch in diameter and 10 Without necessity for expensive machinery. one and one-half (1V2) inches long. In Fig. 1 3

A further object of the invention is to provide a there is illustrated a tube it which throughout the tube of this character formed entirely from metal major portion of its length is substantially tubular of the same thickness, and so constructed as to in form with one end tapering as shown at H eliminate heavy shoulders and threaded porto a folded and crimped edge l2 which seals this tions which are expensive to manufacture. particular end ofv the tube at right angles to the 15 Another object is to provide a tube of this longitudinal axis-of the tube. At its other end character which is in effect self-opening in use, the tube at is also sealed along an edge or line l3 with the result that the user may simply press which is substantially at right angles to the axis the sides of the tube to form the discharge openof the e i. it being noted that h p i n ing.

.A further object is to provide a self-opening down to the straight line edge it. This formatube of this character which is so constructed ti n is arly s w in F 6 of the d aw n that it may be readily returned to a sealed rela- The present invention has for one of its most tionship in the event that the entire contents of important objects, the provision of a collapsible the tube is not used in the first opening thereof. tube which may be formed with a minimum 25 Another object is to provide a tube of this charamount of metal, takinginto account in this reacter having asmall funnel-like discharge strucspect the amount of metal which may be lost in ture atone end thereof. the manufacturing operation. In attaining this Other objects and advantages will become apobject the present invention provides a tube parent from the following description taken in which has its entire wall portion I5 (Fig. 6) of 30 connection with the accompanying drawing, in the same thickness, and the tube is sealed at which: both ends by folding and crimping of the metal.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viea of a collapsible By reason of this novel and advantageous formatube constructed in accordance with the present tion of the tube 10 it is possible to form the tubes invention, the tube being filled and sealed in the from an elongated stock member it such as that 35 manner in which it is merchandised. shown in Fig. '7 of the drawing, the member I6 Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevational view of being tubular in form and of such a character the tube illustrating the form of one end of the that it may be readily formed by a simple proctube in the first step of its manufacture. ess of extrusion.

40 Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are similar iragmental views The tubular stock member l6 shown in Fig. 7 40 illustrating the tube vin successive steps of its of-the drawing is substantially tnree-eights manufacture. of an inch in diameter and in forming the tubes Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line In therefrom the member [6 is severed transver- 66 of Fig. 5. l sally along the linesA-A which are spaced sub- 5 Fig. 'l is a reduced elevational view illustrating stantially two inches from each other longitudithe formation of the individual tubes from an nally of the tube. This excess length in the elongated continuous tube of metal which may be blanks thus formed is used to close the two ends formed by extrusion. of the tube.

While I have shown in the drawing and will In the process of forming the tube ill from 0 herein described in detailthe preferred embodithe blanks, it is preferable to seal the end I3 ment of my invention, it is to be understood that as the initial operation, it being noted that the I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to folded and crimped edge l2 may be formed by the specific form'disclosed, nor tothespecific a simple process after the filling'of the tubes. steps in the method herein disclosed, but aim to Thus the edges of the tube at the end I3 are cover all modifications and alternative construcpressed together as shown in Fig. 2 of the draw- 55 it of the tube adjacent to the end edge l3 tapers 20 ing, after which the metal between the line l3 and the end edge I! is folded and crimped to form a funnel-like end portion such as that shown in Fig. 4 of the'drawing. In reaching this formation difierent methods of approach may be employed, but in the present instance I prefer to perform a preliminary fold operation as indicated in Fig. 3 where relatively small corners 18 are folded over toward the center line of the tube. From the form shown in Fig. 3 the portions l8 are again folded as indicated at IS in Fig. 4 so that the funnel-like end formation 20 (Fig. 4) is attained. The portion 20 is then folded along the line l3 to the formation shown in Figs. 1, and 6.

It will be evident that in some aspects of the invention the funnel-like portion 20 may be formed by means other than folding, as, for example, by forming the tube I 0 by the usual stamping process, in which case some of the advantages of the present invention would be sacrificed. It would retain, however, the funnel-like characteristics of the discharge end 20 and would operate in the opening of the tube in substantially the same manner.

In the use of the present device, it is simply" necessary for the user to press on the tube In in the area B (Fig. 1) so as to force the contents into the folded end portion 20, and by this action the end 20 automatically folds outwardly to substantially the position shown in Fig. 4 and in dotted lines in Fig. 6. In this position a convenient discharge opening is provided and it will be evident that the very formation of the tube 4 simple and economical in construction and unusually satisfactory and efficient in use.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible tube of the character described, having a cylindrical wall portion formed from relatively soft metal, said wall portion at one end thereof being folded and crimped to form a relatively permanent seal at said end, said wall portion at the opposite end being folded to form a funnel-like discharge end, and said funnel-like discharge end in its entirety being folded back toward the opposite end of said wall portion along a line transverse of said tube located between the widest portion of said funnel-like discharge end and the other end of the tube whereby to provide a semi-permanent seal for said end.

2. A collapsible tube of the character described, having an elongated tubular wall formed from relatively soft metal permanently closed at one end, said wall at the other end being formed to provide a funnel-like discharge portion, said funnel-like discharge portion being pressed flatly together in its entirety, and the flat discharge end thus produced being folded back toward the other end of said wall to provide a semi-permanent seal for said end.

3. The method of making a collapsible tube which consists in forming a cylindrical wall section of a greater length than the proposed final tube-length, pressing the opposed portions of the wall flatly together at one end for a substantial distance from said end, folding over the corners of the flat portions of said wall at said end to form a flat funnel-like discharge end portion terminating in a reduced diameter discharge orifice, and folding said fiat discharge end portion in its entirety back toward the opposite end of the wall to seal said discharge orifice.

HAROLD s, GISHLI 

